


Dawn of The Rose

by Cutty_Ren



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Dawn - Freeform, Extremely Dubious Consent, Light Angst, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Markiplier ego, Mind Manipulation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2020-07-10 17:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19909171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cutty_Ren/pseuds/Cutty_Ren
Summary: Shawn Flynn receives a strange painting as a gift and is quickly pulled into a rather curious situation.





	1. Chapter 1

Shawn Flynn was busy working in his office when there came a loud knock on his door. He'd been deep in concentration on one of his many projects, so the noise startled him a little. 

"Come in! What do ya need?" Shawn's Irish accent didn't hide his mild annoyance at being interrupted. His blue eyes flicked up to watch the door in anticipation of it opening, but it never did. So, with an exasperated sigh, he stood up from his painting desk and stepped over to the door. When he opened it though there was no one to be seen. This immediately struck him as odd so he called out down the hall "hey, did someone need me?" Only an eerie silence answered back. He was about to close the door when a black package caught his eye.

It was medium-sized and looked like a wrapped painting. The packaging had his name and office suite written in a rather artistic bright red calligraphy on one side. He squinted suspiciously at the package but ultimately decided to bring it inside.

There was no return address printed anywhere on the paper and he was starting to get a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. 'Who would have sent me a package?' His thoughts wandered on the possibilities as he finally started opening the it. 

"Huh, what's this?" 

Shawn was now looking at a picture of a well-dressed man staring longingly at a rose he held. The details of his eyes were difficult to make out with all the dark makeup around them. The man also seemed to be wearing a two-piece suit with a white collared long-sleeved shirt underneath and a red tie to add just a splash of color. Aesthetically the image was beautiful, but Shawn saw no reason for why it had been sent to him. 

Feeling thoroughly confused he finally set the picture aside and returned to working on his paintings. He'd put more effort into finding the sender later. For now, he had work to do.

It was some time later when Shawn's lights suddenly flickered. He quickly snapped his head up and glared at the lamp on his desk. The act was a futile attempt to will his light to stay on. There then came a sound like rushing wind behind him and he swiftly spun around to see what had made it. However, there was nothing out of place. 

Except…

"What the hell?" Shawn stared in confusion at the now blank picture which sat on the floor; where only moments ago it clearly had an image of a person on it. Slowly he stood from his desk and walked over to the empty picture. He knelt down and placed a couple fingers against the canvas, trying to confirm that the image was indeed blank and not some trick. 

As he did this he heard someone clear their throat behind him and instantly froze in fear. His heart rate skyrocketed and he swallowed nervously. In his mind he already had an idea as to what might be behind him, but his gut was screaming at him to get up and run. 

"Now now, that's no way to treat your guest." The voice was deep and carried an otherworldly undertone to it. "If I'd wanted to hurt you-" a low chuckle suddenly echoed through the room "I would have already done it." 

It took immense will power for Shawn to finally make himself stand back up. With a cautious movement, he turned to face the man occupying his small workspace. He didn't expect them to be standing so close though and stumbled backwards until he hit the wall; a yelp reluctantly escaping his lips.

The man simply smirked and looked down at the rose in his hand; the same one he'd been holding in the picture. "You seem like a man of few words." He then glanced up at Shawn with dark brown eyes and slowly took a step closer. 

Shawn was terrified. The moment the other man moved closer he spun on his heels and went for the door. Only, his heart sank when he realized it was jammed and wouldn't open. He slammed a fist against the wood and swore under his breath. "Who are you? Wh-what do you want with me?" The words came as a solemn surrender. 

"Oh Shawn, I meant what I said." Another low chuckle filled the room. "I have no intention to harm you. I merely seek a companion of sorts." He rotated the rose between his fingers before continuing "you may call me Dark."

The artist turned back around at the mention of his name. He warily eyed the figure before him. 'How does he know my name?' his thoughts were racing along with his heart, adrenaline still pumping through him. 

"I can see so much fear and confusion in your eyes, but I think in time, you will come to enjoy my company." Dark was now less than a foot away, seeming to have blinked in and out of existence. He gingerly took Shawn's chin between his forefinger and thumb then gently tilted his head up so that they were looking eye to eye with each other. His lips soon curled into a crooked smile as he noticed the artist's breath hitch.

Shawn suddenly felt his hands moving on their own and a new flood of emotions washed over him. Slowly, despite his best efforts, he could feel himself reaching for something just out of sight. Desperately he fought back against the invisible force pulling on his limbs. He scowled from the effort and swore under his breath.

"Well, you may be a man of few words, but you certainly have some strength to you. Too bad it's not enough." Dark chuckled low and smiled as he felt Shawn's fingers finally wrap around the rose. 

There instantly came a wave of energy that made Shawn feel light-headed at first. For a second he swayed in placed but then he quickly crumpled as all consciousness left him. 

Dark easily broke the artist's fall and then unceremoniously scooped him up into his arms. He walked over to the couch Shawn kept in his office and gently deposited him on it. "Rest well, my dear." He caressed a hand softly down Shawn's cheek and then moved away; leaving the artist to sleep and dream.


	2. Chapter 2

A soft whisper of his name was what finally brought Shawn back. He reached a hand up to hold his head and groaned in discomfort at the slight headache which plagued his mind. 

"Fuckin' hell… ugh, what happened to me?" His thoughts slowly started to gather as he managed to open his eyes. When he peered around the room his breath hitched. There, standing in the corner, was Dark; watching Shawn with a pensive expression. 

"So you're finally awake, I pray you had a restful nap." Dark gave Shawn a slight smirk and leaned forward onto a black cane which was topped with an intricate design around the head.

The artist wasted no time in trying to leave. He leapt from the couch and made a dash for the door. However, before he could make it halfway, his muscles seized; keeping him cemented in place. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see one of Darks' hands lifted in a sign to stop. The amount of control this person held over him was terrifying.

"I assumed you would have been more cooperative by now, but I guess a little extra persuasion is required." Dark chuckled low and flicked his wrist in a quick decisive motion.

Shawn gasped as a wave of haziness clouded his mind for only a moment before gradually dissipating. Suddenly, the urge to run was gone. He didn't feel afraid anymore and slowly his muscles relaxed until he was given full control back over his own limbs. 

"That's better." Dark picked up his cane and lithely walked over to Shawn until they were only a short distance apart. "Now, perhaps we can start off on better footing." His tone was more sultry, and less menacing, as he reached forward to gently take Shawn's chin between his fingers. 

The artist swallowed thickly in anticipation of what was to happen next. His eyes fluttered a little in response to Dark's touch, despite how minimal it was. His heart still raced a mile a minute, but it wasn't out of fear. No. It was from a desire deep inside him that he'd been forced to keep tucked away. It was the 30's after all, and the likes of him expressing interest for another man could easily spell disaster. But, on the other hand, Dark was making it surprisingly easy to give in. He just needed to lean forward a little…

"STOP! BACK OFF! Get away from me!" 

Shawn just narrowly escaped a kiss aimed for his lips as he shoved himself away and stumbled backwards into his desk. His outburst had left them both equally surprised even though Dark didn't openly express it. His breath came in quick gasps for air, like he'd been suffocating and only now had a moment to breathe. 

"Fascinating…" 

Dark knew there was some strength to the overworked toy maker, but he hadn't expected this turn of events. With another quick hand movement he forced Shawn's muscles to seize up again and took the opportunity to slowly walk over to him. "You're quite the stubborn little fighter-" a wide grin pulled across his lips as he moved closer, "-luckily, I enjoy a good chase."

Shawn scowled angrily and tried, in vain, to move from where he was being held. His hands were clenched into fists and his spine had been made ramrod straight. As Dark inched closer he could feel the haziness begin to creep it's way back into his mind. It was warm and inviting, trying to make him relax despite the danger nearby. Blue eyes blinked sluggishly against the assault. Moments later he had completely forgotten why he'd been scared in the first place.

Under the spell again.

When Shawn's eyes opened fully he was greeted with Dark staring him down and only a few inches separating them. That distance was immediately closed as a hand wrapped around the artist's tie and roughly pulled him forward by it as if it were a leash. The forceful movement caused him to elicit a surprised grunt quickly followed by a sharp intake of breath as both of their lips collided in a searing kiss.

Shawn was shocked initially and felt a disgusted sensation churn in the pit of his stomach; it had been years since he last kissed another man. One booze filled evening behind a bar back in Dublin; the scars he bore from his father finding out were a constant reminder of what a disappointment he’d been. However, Dark's spell over him was strong enough to wash away any doubts or false pretenses the man had built up over the years about his own sexuality. His eyes slipped closed and he allowed himself to savor the kiss, if only for a moment. As Dark pulled back, and gave Shawn control over his own limbs again, the toy maker pushed past him and bolted to the other side of the room. 

“What the hell are you doin’ to me!?” Shawn’s voice was shaky and so unsure of what had just happened. He brought a quivering hand to his lips as if covering them would undo the kiss he'd been manipulated into. The artist then braced heavily against the wall with both of his arms outstretched and elbows locked. He grimaced and tried in vain to steady his erratic breathing. 

“Simple. I’m making you mine.” Dark smiled and inspected the fingers of his right hand. “Now...” he splayed the same hand in a familiar sign to stop and Shawn once more felt his muscles all tense up. “Why don’t you come back here” he made a decisive motion with curling his fingers into a fist and it forced the toymaker to abruptly turn towards him. 

“Dammit! Leave me alone!” Shawn scowled and tried desperately to break free of the phantom hold upon him. 

“Now now, don’t be so ungrateful” the demon smiled in amusement before using two fingers to beckon the other man closer.

Shawn felt his legs start to carry him forward despite his best efforts to stop, like he was being pulled along by an invisible string. Each step set his heart racing anew. It was only when he came within arms reach of Dark that he finally stopped moving. 

“That’s better. Let’s continue, shall we.” The demon waved his hand in front of Shawn's face and watched with satisfaction as the spell took effect once more; the other man getting a dreamy lovesick look upon his face.


	3. Chapter 3

Two days of this manipulative torment left Shawn feeling manic, restless, barely able to string together coherent thoughts. He was permanently on edge to the point that even whiskey couldn't calm his nerves anymore. 

_Sleep._

He brushed aside the thought. _'I can't...not with him here.'_

_You need to rest._

_'No! I'm fine.'_ Shawn rubbed his eyes as if the action might dispel how exhausted he was. He didn't even fight against the movement of his body falling off the stool, simply allowing gravity to pull him down. Something broke his fall though and he lethargically craned his head to peer up at the demon. 

"Your stubbornness knows no bounds. This is simply ridiculous. You need to sleep. My promise to do you no harm also entails preventing you from damaging yourself." Dark knelt down and gathered the toy maker into his arms, carrying him bridal style. "I'm taking you home." 

The two suddenly vanished from the workshop and then reappeared moments later in Shawn's apartment. 

Dark gave the flat only a cursory glance before confidently walking into the bedroom. He delicately placed Shawn down on the bed and pulled the paint-stained blankets over the top of him. There came a grumbled noise of protest, but he gently touched a finger to the artist's lips and hushed him.

"Either you can fall asleep on your own or I'll make you sleep. The choice is yours." A slight smile touched Dark's lips as he spoke, brown eyes considering the man before him with fixated interest.

Shawn contemplated fighting back again, but it was a fleeting thought; his mind already slipping into unconsciousness even as he felt himself sink heavily into his pillow. Seconds later, he was sleeping soundly; dreaming about demons, roses, ink, and past desires that had come back to plague him.

Dark watched the toymaker for only a brief moment before reaching a hand out to gently caress his cheek. "Rest well." He then stepped out of the room, leaving Shawn to sleep.

The demon took it upon himself then to give the dingy apartment a more thorough inspection. First thing that stood out was the paint stains… 

They were everywhere...

Every surface of every room had some form of black or colored paint ground deep into them. It was a testament to Shawn's passion as an artist. However, the colored paint caught Dark's interest; seeing how he'd only ever witnessed the toymaker work with monochromatic black and white inks in the studio. 

He was a being brought to life from a canvas; so naturally, him having an affinity for all things paint related wasn't that large a leep to make. Brown eyes scanned the living room, but they found nothing to indicate if Shawn had used more than furniture as his canvas. 

Stepping back into the main entryway he finally noticed a door covered in more paint than the others and cocked a brow. In a few short steps he reached the door and quietly opened it. 

What Dark found sent an array of emotions through him that he never experienced before this moment; a room lined wall to wall with colored paintings. His eyes danced between different subjects, each piece more detailed than the last.

As he looked at a canvas perched upon the lone easel found within the room, a feeling of deep admiration bubbled up inside him. The subject Shawn had painted was that of a father and son together in the park. The two looked happy as they played catch in one corner of the canvas or flew a kite in another corner. In the center was both of them sitting on a bench enjoying lunch. This painting held so much more emotion in it and it only took Dark a moment to understand why. 

Hidden in every brush stroke was all the pent up pain of an abusive life. A father filled with rage and contempt, no ounce of love to spare for his only child. As an adult he was left to find solace in bottles of whiskey after the sour memories had finally subsided.

Dark blinked in confusion as he suddenly felt something warm roll down his cheek. In a slow measured motion he lifted one hand and gathered a single tear onto his finger. He stared down at the spec of moisture for a long drawn out minute; almost like if he looked at it long enough it would just disappear, but it never did. Eventually, he wiped the liquid off his finger and onto his jacket. 

Now was not the time to deal with complex emotions when there was an apartment in need of cleaning.

\---------

It wasn't until the next morning that Shawn finally awoke from his much needed rest. He yawned and stretched his sore muscles. His eyes opened lazily as he pondered on the weird dream that had felt almost too real. Some demon brought to life from a painting, a rose with hidden powers, romantic attraction tugging at his heart. A small part of him was sad it had only been a dream.

Eventually, he found the motivation to get out of bed. He'd fallen asleep in his work clothes so no need to worry about getting dressed. As he put on his shoes his stomach grumbled loudly and a petulant scowl touched his lips. _'Guess I'll pick up something to eat on my way to work.'_

Feeling ready enough to start the day he swiftly walked down the hall towards the door. However, before he could get within arms reach, something all too familiar happened. A lance of fear went down his spine as all of his muscles suddenly seized up keeping him firmly planted in one spot. Footsteps, slow and precise, were now moving in closer behind him. 

"Leaving so soon, my dear?" 

The low cadence of Dark's voice was enough to send a noticeable shiver coursing through the artist. He swore under his breath and desperately tried to break free, hands shaking from the effort.

Dark clicked his tongue before speaking again. "Always so stubborn." He'd come to stand directly behind the toymaker, hands clasped at the small of his back as he gazed upon the young man.

"Fuck you! Leave me alone!" Shawn all but growled the reply in defiance.

A sneer curled the demon's lips, but it was a fleeting reaction. He stepped around the artist so as to look him dead in the eyes. "Again, you try my patience. I have no intention to harm you. That also includes not taking advantage of you either. You already have a desire burning deep within you, but you're too afraid to give in to it. You think I'll break your heart like your father and past lovers did."

"Shut up! You don't know anything about me!" Furious tears had begun to stream down Shawn's face.

Dark's eyes flashed red before settling back to a soft brown. "I know much more than you think." The words were spoken in a low purr. "You drink to feed this vicious cycle of pain, escape, and numbness. Your heart was damaged long before reaching adulthood, shattered by someone who should have treated you as a son. Instead, he took years of bitterness and anger out on you." His tone was calm and even. "All the times he told you that you didn't deserve to be loved only served to chip away at an already broken heart."

He took a slow step forward and cautiously leaned in next to Shawn's ear. "Everything he told you, was a lie, words of a desperate man with nothing left to give to anyone but himself. His poisonous ideologies do not define you. You are so much more than the lies he told. You deserve the same love that you see in the relationships of all those people you chose to paint."

Dark let out a long sigh and leaned back, he wanted to give the man a comforting touch, but he knew full well the reaction that would elicit. "I only want to show you just how special and worthy of appreciation you are. You don't need to keep hiding at the bottom of a bottle." On that last phrase he released Shawn from the invisible hold, giving the man control over his own limbs again.

The toymaker had been cut to the quick by Dark's words. Slowly, he sank to his knees and fisted both hands in the fabric of his pants. Hot tears poured from his eyes unhindered. Emotions that he'd spent years building a wall around were now free to assault his already battered heart.

Concern furrowed Dark's brows as he watched the man crumble. In the next moment he knelt down in front of Shawn and reached out with one hand to gently cup his stubbled cheek. "I apologise for being so blunt, but I meant what I said." With his thumb he attempted to wipe away some of the tears. "You deserve a better life and I want to give that to you."

Shawn initially tensed from the touch to his cheek, but gradually let himself relax and even nuzzled Dark's palm a little. He was at a loss for words and hopped that the small gesture would be enough to show his gratitude.


End file.
